Correlation of Red Cell Distribution Width Value with the Duration of Mechanical Ventilator Usage in Patients Treated in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Background: Red cell distribution width (RDW) is the coefficient of erythrocyte volume variation. High RDW may indicate heterogeneous erythrocyte size in terms of size and volume (anisocytosis). RDW is affected by the degree of hypoxic tissue; the higher the hypoxia, the higher the RDW. The goal of the study was to see the correlation between RDW and the duration of ventilator usage on patients treated in the intensive care unit. Patients and Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional design. The participants of this research are children treated with mechanical ventilator in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in Sanglah General Hospital from January to December 2018. The duration of mechanical ventilator usage and RDW value data was generated from the medical records. Results: There were sixty patients treated in the PICU during the study period, including 24 females (40%) and 36 males (60%). The average of oxygen index (OI) was 6.9 (0.9–20.57) and ventilator usage duration was 7.43 (1–32). Analysis of correlation between RDW and hemoglobin (Hb), FiO2, positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), peak inspiratory pressure (PIP), mean airway pressure, OI, and days of ventilator usage revealed that RDW has a strong positive correlation with Hb (r = 0.43), FiO2 (r = 0.82), PEEP (r = 0.17), PIP (r = 0.41), OI (r = 0.76), and days of ventilator usage (r = 0.87). The result of a subgroup analysis of days of ventilator usage had a strong positive correlation with RDW. In mild-degree pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome, the correlation score was r = 0.89, moderate degree was r = 0.766, and severe degree was r = 0.71. Conclusion: There is a strong positive correlation between RDW and the duration of mechanical ventilator usage.